Roller-skate



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. 0. B. HOPKINS.

ROLLER SKATE.

No. 328,780. v Patented Oct. 20, 1885* (N8 Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

O. B. HOPKINS.

ROLLER SKATE.

No. 328,780. Patented Oct. 20, 1885.

N, nuns. PMlo-LilMgnphar. WnMngton, o. c.

CABEL B.

' PArnNr @rrrcn.

HOPKINS, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

ROLLER-SKATE.

forming part of Letters Patent No. 328,780, dated October 20, 1885.

Application filed June 13, 1885. Serial No. 168,598.

To aZZ whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, CABEL B. HOPKINS, of Louisville, in the county of Jefferson, and in the State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Roller- Skates; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows a view in side elevation of my improved skate; Fig. 2, a plan view of the same; Fig. 3, a bottom plan view of the foot-rest or body with the roller-trucks removed; Fig. 4, a detail top plan view of one of the roller-trucks and its centering or guiding devices; Fig. 5, a detail view of the same in perspective, showing the position and operation of the parts when the truck is swung, as in going on a curve; Fig. 6, a detail vertical transverse sectional view of the truck and centering or guiding devices, and Fig. 7 a detail view showing a modified form of spring.

Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of the figures.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved roller-skate; and to this end it consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of parts as hereinafter specified.

In the drawings, A designates the body or foot-support of the skate. 'This can be made of any desired material; but I prefer to make it of iron, steel, or brass, which can be made thin enough to be light and to be bent or struck up while still being strong and stiff.

The sliding sole-clamps B B are of the wellknown construction common in clamp-skates. Each one has a shank, I), held and guided in its movements by a pair of lugs, b 1), formed of portions of the plate A bent downward and then toward each other to form a way adapted to fit the clamp-shank, which, on its lower side preferably, has its edges beveled, as shown. The inner ends of the clamp-shanks are pivoted to the ends of links 0 O by means of pins 0 c, which also pass up through the rear ends of the links D D. At their forward ends these latter links are pivoted together upon the same pin, (Z, attached to the skate-plate A. To make room for the proper attachment of the forward truck, E, these links are at their forward ends curved inward toward each (No model.)

other, their rear portions being substantially parallel and a suflicient distance apart to clear the attaching portion of the front truck. WVith these links pivoted as they are at their forward ends to the fixed pin (1, and at their rear ends pivotally connected with the clampshanks b I), such shanks can only have a sliding movement in and out in their guides, already described. The rear or inner ends of the short links 0 O are pivoted to asliding 'block, E, which slides longitudinally upon the skate body or plate A, and is held in place or guided by a lug or pin which extends up ward from it through a slot, F, in the plate, and has a head, e, bearing upon the top of the plate on each side of said slot. This block E has a downwardly-extending portion, E provided with an opening through which passes loosely the forward end of the screw G, running longitudinally under the foot-plate. Upon this screw in front and in rear of the portion E of the block E are the nuts 1 and g, respectively. These nuts, when screwed up against the arm or portion E of the block, prevent the screws from moving with reference to the block. WVith this construction the position of the block on the screw can, obviously, be adjusted and fixed as desired.

The screw, near its rear end, is rigidly attached to a lug or arm, h, extending downward from the bifurcated slide H. The arms H H of this slide extend rearward parallel to each other a sufficient distance apart to clear the attaching portion of the rear truck. At their rear ends they pass out through and are supported by guides h, attached to the foot-plate A. Upon these ends beyond the guide is fixed the cross-bar I, upon which is pivoted the cam or eccentric K, provided with the arm K. This cam engages the rear end of the foot-plate and operates in the manner to be hereinafter described.

The arm K is so arranged with reference to the cam that when it is swung upward against the heel of the wearer, or the rigid clampplate L at the rear end of the foot-plate,thepart of the cam which has the greatest eccentricity will be just below the plane of the pivot of the cam. WVith this construction, when the arm is being swung up, the cam bearing against the foot-plate will pull the slide H backward, and after the cam is swung up any forward pull upon the slide will only tend to keep the arm more firmly in its elevated position. This is because the'point ofjengag'ement of the cam with the plate is below the plane of the pivot of the cam, and any pressure of the plate against the cam will then tend to swing it downward and the arm K forward.

The fixed clamp plate L, attached to and extending upward from the rear end of the foot-plate, is, as usual, provided at its upper end with two forwardly-turned points, 11, adapted to engage the rear side of the boot or shoe heel of the wearer. Above the forward end of the slide H the foot plate is provided with the central longitudinalslot M. In this slot slides the reduced middle portion of the sliding clamp M. This clamp consists of the reduced middle portion extending through and fitting the slot M, and the upper and lower portions, m 191?, extending beyond the slot and engaging the plate on both sides thereof, so that the clamp is held from upand-down movement while being free to move Such adjustment regulates the distance of the forward and back in the slot. The upper end of this clamp isprovided with a rearwardlyturned point, m adapted to engage the front of the heel in the usual way, and the lower portion, m is provided with an opening through which extends the portion of screw G which is in rear of the lug or arm hon the slide H, to which the screw is fixed, as described hereinbefore.

Upon thescrewin front and rear of the portion m of the clamp are the nuts N N, respectively. By means of these the position of the portion m of the slide upon the screw may be adjusted with reference to the lug or arm on the slide.

upper portion of the clamp fronl the rear heel-clamp,'L, so that a heel of any size can be accommodated between and suitably en- 1 gaged by the two clamps. The adjustment of the sole-clamps already described to fit differthe nuts forward or back on the screw G to carry the block farther forward or back.

If the block be set forward on the screw, it

will obviously force the clamps farther apart as the points at which the rear ends of the links 0 O are pivoted to the blockare brought nearer the line between the clamp-shanks.

As the block is adjusted rearward along the screw, the toggle formed by the links will be flexed more andmore, and the clamps will consequently be set nearer to eachother.

The operation of the clamping mechanism ingbeen adjusted, as described hereinbefore, to suit the size of heel andsole ofthe shoe of the wearer, the slide H andthe screw'G are forced forward to open the clamps. The skate is then put in place on the foot and the cam-lever K is swung upward and forward until it rests against the back of the heel or the back of the fixed clamp-plate L. As the lever is being swung up,,the cam, acting against the end of the foot-plate or a rigid portion of the frame,

provided with a transverse shaft or axle, S I upon which are journaled the rollers T T. ent widths of shoes is obtained by screwing draws the slide H and screw G back. Such movement of the screw forces the heel-clamp into engagement with the heel, and through the toggle-links G 0 draws the sole-clamps b 1) toward each other to firmly hold the sides of the sole. All tendency of the clamps to open and pull the screw G forward is, when the lever is up, resisted and prevented by the fact that the bearing-point of the cam against the foot-plate is below the plane of the pivot of the cam. Any force tending to pull the screw andslide forward then only tends to turn the cam so as to keep its lever in its elevated position pressed more firmly against the heel or the clampp1ate. To the foot-plate at its rear and near its front end are attached the roller trucksO O, exactly alike in structure, but turned in opposite directions.

A description of the front truck will, therefore, be sufficient. The plate or block P by which the truck is attached to the foot-plate has its rear half reduced in size, as shown at P. The forward portion, P, is, as shown, made thicker near its rear end, and this thick portion is beveledupward and backward, the inclined face P of such bevel ending at the rear edge of the forwardportion on each side of the rear portion or plate, P. On the line of division between the front and rear portions of block P is a vertical opening, B. To form an extension of this opening, a rounded hollow stud, R, is formed on the under side of the block, extending downward and having its bore in line with the opening R- The inclined under face of the portion 1? of the block meets the rounded side of this stud some distance above the lower endof the latter.

The under side of portion P of the block is 'rounded, as shown, from its central line outward to its sides. V

The truck proper, S, at its lower end is and engages the forward side of studR when .the truck and block are put together, as shown.

From the upper edge of this rib the truck is IIO beveled downwardand forward to correspond with and engage the beveled under rear side of the forward portion of block. is as follows: The heel and sole clamps hav- The truck, as seen from the front or rear, is in the form ofan open box. I

Situated between the sides 8 s of the truck and with its top bearing up against the top of attaching block, passes down through the opening in the block and stud thereon, an

openingin the truck at the bottom: of. studreceiving recess, and then through the piece of rubber, and has on its lower threaded end a nut, u, bearing against the lower end of the rubber. By screwing this nut up or down upon the bolt the stress of the rubber up against the top of the truck can be adjusted.

The plane of the bevel on the attachingblock is at rightangles to thelongitudinal vertical plane through the foot plate and block, and the plane of thebevel on the forward edge of the truck is parallel to the axle of the rollers. While then the bevel on the truck is directly and squarely in contact with the bevel on the attaching-block, the roller-axle carried by the truck, will be at right angles to the vertical longitudinal plane through the skate-body, so that the skate will go straight ahead. The rubber spring pressing up against the top of the truck tends to keep the two bevels squarely together. The truck is thus normally kept centered with the roller-axle carried by it at right angles to the central longitudinal line of the skate-body. The truck is so held until the footplate is rocked down on one side by the pressure of the foot on one side or the other thereof. By such movement of the foot-plate the attached truck-block on its bottom is of course correspondingly rocked. The truck itself cannot rock, but is maintained upright by the bearing of the rollers on the floor or surface. It is, however, free to turn on the stud R as a pivot, and because of the shape of said stud and the engaging recess the truckblock P is free to rock with reference to the truck while the latter is turning upon the stud. As the block is rocked down to one side-say the right-the bevel on the block at that side rides down over the bevel on the truck, thus forcing that side of the truck to swing backward on the stud as a pivot, as shown in Fig. 5. This swinging of the truck causes the roller-axle carried by the truck to stand at an angle to the central longitudinal line of the skate, so that the rollers will guide the skate to the right in its movement over the surface. As the rear truck and its attachingblock are of the same construction asthe front truck and block just described, but turned in the opposite direction, the rear truck will, by the same rocking of the foot-plate and truckblock, be swung in the opposite direction, so that the two pairs of rollers will be in position to cause the skate to move in a curve to the right, of greater or less radius, according as the plate and truck-blocks are locked to a less or great degree.

The opening in each truck down through which the bolt U passes is larger than the bolt-shank, and is elongated toward the sides of the truck to allow the bolt to swing as the block rocks. The rubber spring surrounding the bolt-shank, and compressed between the nut on the boltand the under face of the top plate of the truck, serves not only to hold the truck with its bevel front edge squarely against the bevel on the truck-block, but by its downward pull on the bolt tends always to keep the bolt vertical or at right angles to the top plate of the truck, exerting ayielding re sistance to the swinging of the bolt to either side, and by its elasticity returning said bolt again to its normal position. This bolt-centering action of the spring is increased by the shape of the block of rubber. The portion of it which bears up against the top of the truck is made fiat and broad, so that if the boltbe swung to one side the portion of the rubber on that side will be more compressed between the nut on the bolt, and will exert considerable power to return the bolt to its vertical position again.

From the construction of the trucks and blocks, whenever the bolts of the trucks are upright or at right angles to the trucks the roller-axles carried by the trucks will be at right angles to the central longitudinal line of the skate, and, consequently, parallel to each other, so that the skate will travel in a straight line. The rubber springs then are always tending to keep the axles parallel, and to return them to such parallel position when the force applied to swing the trucks on their pivots is removed.

In place of the rubber spring, as described, I contemplate using, if desired, a modified form ofspring-such asisshowninFig.7consisting of a spiral spring conical in general outline and with its base resting against the under side of the truck top.

Upon each roller-axle S, extending out beyond the sides of the truck, arejournaled the rollers T T.

Between each roller and the contiguous sides of the truck I prefer to place awasher, n, and on the outer side of the roller another one, M. The rollers are held on the axle by means of the usual pins, n passing through the axle ends. With the rollers, as heretofore made, with flat sides, the oil used upon the axle has flowed or dropped upon the skating-surface, thus fouling and spoiling it. To avoid this objection, I make in the sides of each roller a concentric groove, V, having its outer wall, 1), undercut or concaved, as shown best in Fig. 6. The inner side or wall, 0, of the grooveis inclined toward the center of the side of the wheel, thus leaving a conical hub, 0 surrounding the axle hole. Through each of these cones are made several openings or passages, o 0 extending from points near the outer end of the tube backward and inward to the axle-opening. Any oil working out around the axle cannot then flow over the side of the roller to the skating-surface, but as it runs downward follows the face of the cone or conical hub inward, and is finally caught and held by the concavity 0f the outer wall, 2;, of groove V. As the roller is turned over,the oil contained in any portion of the concavity of the outer groove-wall tends to run downward over the inclined side of the hub 12. Such oil will then find its way into the openings o 11 and will flow back and inward through them to the axle, reaching it at the proper points to keep it'well oiled.

If desired, a dust cap or' cover can be attached to the roller in any desired way, so as to keep any dust from the axle end and the groove in the roller.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1; In combination with the sliding clamp, shanks, and the sliding block, the toggle-links pivoted at their outer ends to such shanks and at their inner ends to the blocks, the screw passing through a portion or arm of the block,- the nuts screwed on the screw engaging the front and rear sides of the block-arm, and means, substantially as described, adapted to move the screw longitudinally, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. In combination with the clamp-operating toggle, the sliding block pivotally connected v with the inner ends of the toggle-links,"the rod at or near its forwardend connected with or attached to the block, the slide attached to the rod, and the cam pivoted on this slide and adapted to engage afixed portion of the skate,

substantially as and for the purpose described.

f 3. In combination with "the slide and the the slide, the sliding clamp-arm for engaging the'front of the heel having an opening in its lower portion" through which passes the screw, and nuts screwed on the screw in front and rear of such portion, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. In combination with the rod connected operating them through suitable connecting mechanism, the means for drawing the rod rearward and fastening it, consisting of the slide connected with the rod, the cam pivoted thereon and adapted to engage the rear end of the body'of the skate or a fixed projection there- 1 on, and the lever-arm attachedto thecam, substantially as and for the purpose described.

'5. In combination with the slide connected with the clamp-operating rod, the cam pivoted direction that when swung up it rests against 1 arigid projection on the skate just after the part of the cam of greatest radius has passed down below the portion of the skate-plate which the cam engages, substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. In a roller-skate, in combination with the block attached to the foot-plate having a portion beveled at right angles to the centrallongitudinal plane of the skate and a rounded stud on its under side, the roller-truck having a portion beveled in a plane parallel to the truck-axle adapted to engage the bevel on the block and a recess to engage the stud on the block and a spring adapted to hold the truck up against the block, substantially as and for the purpose described.

, 7. In combination with the attaching-block provided on its under side with a portion beveled in aplane at right angles to the central longitudinal line of the block, a rounded stud and a rounded projecting portion on the opposite side of the stud from the bevel, the truck having a portion beveled in a plane parallel to the truck-axle adaptedto engage the bevel on the block anda recess to receive the stud on the block and means, substantially as described, adapted to keep the truck. normally pressed up against the'block, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

8. In combination with the block provided 5 on its under side with the beveled portion, the rounded stud and the rounded projecting portion on the opposite side'of the stud from the bevel, the truck provided with thebevel engaging the one on'the block, a recess engaging the rounded stud, the bolt passing down through the block and stud and loosely through j an opening in the truck at the bottom of the recess, the nut on the stud,and aspring around }the bolt between the nut and the top of the set forth. I j

9. The roller or'wheel provided in its side with a concentric groove h'aving-its oute'r side Z or wall undercut 9r ,concaved and its inner wall sloping towardtheiaxle-opening, so as to form a conical hub, and such outer wall pierced truck, substantially as andfor the purpose with one or more openings leading inward to I purpose described.

In testimony that 'I -f the axle-opening, substantially as and for the claim the foregoing I May, A. D. 1885. J

Witnesses:

Trros. E. TURNER, V J OSEPH SHAW.

c EL '13. HOPKINS.

have hereunto set 'my hand this 26th day of 

